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Happy National Backyard Day! If you needed proof they’re better than front yards, only one of them has its own holiday.
Whether you’re barbecuing this weekend or just hanging out, what’s your go-to GAME you like to play in the backyard?
We’ve got a ranking of the 10 BEST backyard games of all time based on fun, accessibility, and overall popularity.
1. Cornhole. It’s kind of THE go-to game now. Cincinnati gets credit for coming up with the modern version in the 1960s. But someone also patented a similar game with square holes way back in 1883.
2. Bocce. It’s good for multiple people, and you can play it anywhere. You don’t need a legit bocce court, or even a nice patch of grass. Just open space.
3. Wiffle ball. A guy in Connecticut made backyard baseball possible when he came up with it in 1953.
4. Two-hand-touch. Flag football is even better. Just stuff a rag in your belt.
5. Kickball. Fun fact: Brits call it “football rounders,” and Canadians call it “soccer baseball.”
6. Horseshoes. It’s harder for little kids to play than cornhole. And you have to add permanent sandpits to do it right.
7. Badminton. Not as popular as it used to be, but still fun. It’s a little annoying to set up and take down the net.
8. Ladder toss. It’s gotten pretty popular in the last 20 years. A mailman in Pennsylvania sold the idea in 2005. Then a company called Ladder Golf LLC started selling sets.
9. Lawn darts. Bonus points to the original version for being LETHAL. Modern versions are safer, but still fun. You land darts in circles to score points.
10. Croquet. Not a lot of people play it now, but it used to be really popular. The word is French, but it originated in England in the mid-1800s.
Does playing CATCH belong in the Top 10? It’s definitely a classic backyard activity, but more informal. So, not exactly a “game.”
